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Curse of Empty Land

24 Behold, Adonai makes the land empty
and makes it waste,
twists its face,
and scatters its inhabitants.
So it shall be:
as with the people, so with the kohen,
as with a servant, so with his master,
as with a maid, so with her mistress,
as with a buyer, so with the seller,
as with a lender, so with the borrower,
as with a creditor, so with the debtor.
The land will be utterly emptied,
    and totally plundered.
For Adonai has spoken this word.
The land faints and fades away,
The world wilts and fades away,
The exalted people of the earth wilt.
The land is polluted by its inhabitants,
for they have transgressed Torah,
    violated statutes,
and broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse will devour the land.
Those dwelling there are found guilty.
Therefore the inhabitants of the land will be burned up,
    so the people remaining are few.
The new wine fails, the vine wilts,
all the merry-hearted sigh.
The glee of tambourines stops,
the noise of revelers ends,
the joy of the harp ceases.
They no longer drink wine with song.
Liquor is bitter to those drinking it.
10 The shattered city is in chaos.
Every house is shut up, none may enter.
11 In the streets is an outcry for wine;
all joy becomes dark as evening;
the mirth of the land is banished.
12 The city is left in ruins;
the gate is battered down.

Last Days’ Judgments

13 So will it be in the earth and among the nations,
as when shaking an olive tree,
or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.
14 They will raise their voices,
They will sing for joy, of the majesty of Adonai
they shout from the sea.
15 ‘Therefore glorify Adonai in the east,
the Name of Adonai, the God of Israel,
    in the isles of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth we have heard songs:
“Glory to the righteous!”
But I say, “I waste away, I waste away!
    Oy to me! Traitors betray!
    With treachery traitors betray!”

17 Panic, pit and trap are upon you,
O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass:
whoever flees from the sound of panic
    will fall in the pit,
and whoever climbs up out of the pit
    will be caught in the trap.
For the windows of heaven are opened
and the foundations of the earth shake.
19 The earth is broken apart,
the earth is split open,
the earth is shaken utterly.
20 The earth reels to and fro like a drunk,
    and sways like a hut.
its transgression is so heavy upon it
that it will fall and never rise again.
21 It will come about in that day,
Adonai will punish the host of heaven on high,
    and the kings of the earth on the earth.
22 They will be gathered together,
    like prisoners in the Pit,
and will be shut up in the prison,
    and after many days be punished.
23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed,
for Adonai-Tzva’ot will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
    and before His elders, gloriously.

The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth

24 See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth(A)
    and devastate(B) it;
he will ruin its face
    and scatter(C) its inhabitants—
it will be the same
    for priest as for people,(D)
    for the master as for his servant,
    for the mistress as for her servant,
    for seller as for buyer,(E)
    for borrower as for lender,
    for debtor as for creditor.(F)
The earth will be completely laid waste(G)
    and totally plundered.(H)
The Lord has spoken(I) this word.

The earth dries up(J) and withers,(K)
    the world languishes and withers,
    the heavens(L) languish with the earth.(M)
The earth is defiled(N) by its people;
    they have disobeyed(O) the laws,
violated the statutes
    and broken the everlasting covenant.(P)
Therefore a curse(Q) consumes the earth;
    its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,(R)
    and very few are left.
The new wine dries up(S) and the vine withers;(T)
    all the merrymakers groan.(U)
The joyful timbrels(V) are stilled,
    the noise(W) of the revelers(X) has stopped,
    the joyful harp(Y) is silent.(Z)
No longer do they drink wine(AA) with a song;
    the beer is bitter(AB) to its drinkers.
10 The ruined city(AC) lies desolate;(AD)
    the entrance to every house is barred.
11 In the streets they cry out(AE) for wine;(AF)
    all joy turns to gloom,(AG)
    all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
12 The city is left in ruins,(AH)
    its gate(AI) is battered to pieces.
13 So will it be on the earth
    and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,(AJ)
    or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.(AK)

14 They raise their voices, they shout for joy;(AL)
    from the west(AM) they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
15 Therefore in the east(AN) give glory(AO) to the Lord;
    exalt(AP) the name(AQ) of the Lord, the God of Israel,
    in the islands(AR) of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth(AS) we hear singing:(AT)
    “Glory(AU) to the Righteous One.”(AV)

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!(AW)
    Woe(AX) to me!
The treacherous(AY) betray!
    With treachery the treacherous betray!(AZ)
17 Terror(BA) and pit and snare(BB) await you,
    people of the earth.(BC)
18 Whoever flees(BD) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;(BE)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.(BF)

The floodgates of the heavens(BG) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.(BH)
19 The earth is broken up,(BI)
    the earth is split asunder,(BJ)
    the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth reels like a drunkard,(BK)
    it sways like a hut(BL) in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion(BM)
    that it falls(BN)—never to rise again.(BO)

21 In that day(BP) the Lord will punish(BQ)
    the powers(BR) in the heavens above
    and the kings(BS) on the earth below.
22 They will be herded together
    like prisoners(BT) bound in a dungeon;(BU)
they will be shut up in prison
    and be punished[a] after many days.(BV)
23 The moon will be dismayed,
    the sun(BW) ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign(BX)
    on Mount Zion(BY) and in Jerusalem,
    and before its elders—with great glory.(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 24:22 Or released